U.S. patent number 4,053,755 [Application Number 05/714,768] was granted by the patent office on 1977-10-11 for pedometer distance-measuring device.
Invention is credited to John C. Sherrill.
United States Patent |
4,053,755 |
Sherrill |
October 11, 1977 |
Pedometer distance-measuring device
Abstract
An electronic pedometer is constructed by a combination of a
calculator of the hand-held type and a weighted balance switch
closed in response to the strides taken by the person wearing or
carrying the pedometer. The stride-actuated switch is connected in
parallel with the contacts of a function key of the calculator,
such as the "add" or "subtract" key. The distance covered by the
wearer in a normal stride is entered in a conventional fashion into
the calculator by operation of the appropriate data entry keys.
Then, each time a step is taken by the user, this data is added or
subtracted (in accordance with the function selected by the user)
to continuously provide an indication of the distance traveled or
distance remaining to be traveled. Alternatively, the calculator
may be used to provide a unit count of each step taken and this
total then may be multiplied in the calculator by a constant
corresponding to the average distance of each step taken by the
user.
Inventors: |
Sherrill; John C. (Phoenix,
AZ) |
Family
ID: |
24871374 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/714,768 |
Filed: |
August 16, 1976 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
702/160; 235/105;
377/24; 377/24.1; 377/24.2; 377/26 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G01C
22/006 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G01C
22/00 (20060101); G01C 022/00 (); G06F
015/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;235/151.32,156,152,150.2,92MT,92DN,92DE,92PE,92CP,95R,96,97,105
;73/490 ;33/1R |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Ruggiero; Joseph F.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Drummond, Nelson & Ptak
Claims
I claim:
1. A pedometer device to be carried on the person of the user
including in combination:
electronic calculator means programmable by the user for entering
predetermined data in response to input pulses;
stride actuated switch means operated in response to steps taken by
the user indicative of units of distance; and
pulse supply means controlled by said stride actuated switch means
for producing input pulses in response to the operation of said
switch means and connected with said electronic calculator means
for supplying said input pulses thereto indicative of units of
distance covered.
2. The combination according to claim 1 where said stride actuated
switch means completes an electrical circuit through said pulse
supply means to cause said pulse supply means to produce one of
said pulses at each step taken by a person carrying the pedometer
device.
3. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said electronic
calculator means comprises a keyboard having at least some data
entry keys and function keys therein for completing electrical
circuits to supply pulses to calculator circuitry, and said pulse
supply means includes circuit means connected in parallel with the
contacts of at least one of the keys of said calculator and
operation of said stride actuated switch means completes an
electrical circuit in said parallel circuit.
4. The combination according to claim 3 wherein said circuit means
comprises a series circuit connected across the contacts of at
least one of the function keys of said electronic calculator means,
said series circuit comprising said stride actuated switch means
and first "on-off" switch closed to complete a circuit therethrough
in the "on" position and opened to break electrical connection
therethrough in the "off" position, and said stride actuated switch
means is a normally open switch which is momentarily closed in
response to each step taken by the user of said pedometer device,
said calculator means being operable to perform other calculating
functions with said first "on-off" switch means in the "off"
position.
5. The combination according to claim 4 wherein said stride
actuated switch means comprises a weighted balance-arm switch
closed in response to the impact movement imparted to the pedometer
device at each step taken by a person carrying said device.
6. The combination according to claim 5, further including means
for adjusting the sensitivity of said step-actuated switch.
7. The combination according to claim 4, further comprising third
switch means coupled to selectively connect said pulse supply
circuit means in parallel with the contacts of different function
keys of said calculator means.
8. The combination according to claim 7 wherein said different
function keys of said calculator means comprise the "add" and
"subtract" function keys thereof.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In many occupations and recreational endeavors, a need exists for
persons to be able to measure distances covered by walking or
running from one point to another. For example, golfers and hikers
often desire to know how far they have walked from a certain
starting point or landmark and how much distance remains to an
ultimate destination or intermediate point. In addition, real
estate salesmen, particularly those who are engaged in commercial
and industrial real estate and farm and ranch sales, often need to
know with a relatively high degree of accuracy the distance across
a warehouse, for example, or the length of a field and the
like.
Various types of pedometers or other distance-measuring instruments
have been available for indicating distances covered or distances
from one point to another. Generally, pedometers which are carried
on the person involve a mechanical pawl and ratchet arrangement
operated under control of a weighted spring mechanism to provide a
predetermined rotation or count with each step made by the person
wearing the pedometer. An adjustment of the pedometer initially is
made for the individual using it to cause the output reading to be
indicative of the distance covered by the strides of that
individual. The accuracy of such mechanical pedometers, however, is
relatively poor and generally must be related to miles or tenths of
a mile rather than to yards or feet over a relatively long
distance. This accuracy is inadequate for golfers who are
interested in accuracy within a yard or two over distances of 200
to 500 yards. Similarly, for a real estate salesman desiring to
quickly obtain the dimensions of a room or a building, a much
higher degree of accuracy is required than is presently obtainable
from commercially available pedometers.
In addition, it is desirable to provide a pedometer which is
capable of adding, with a high degree of accuracy, the distance
covered by each step to give a continuous indication of the total
distance covered or, alternatively, capable of subtracting from a
preset distance the distance covered by each step; so that the user
has an indication of the distance remaining to be traveled.
It also is desirable to obtain an accuracy with a pedometer within
one or two feet over distances as much as several hundred yards
and, further, it is desirable to have a capability of resetting a
pedometer easily in a short period of time to adjust its operation
to accommodate the strides of different persons.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an
improved distance-measuring device.
It is another object of this invention to provide an improved
pedometer.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved
electronic pedometer.
It is still another object of this invention to provide an improved
electronic pedometer utilizing a combination of an electronic
calculator and stride-actuated switching mechanism.
It is an additional object of this invention to provide an improved
distance-measuring device utilizing an electronic calculator as an
integral part thereof.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of this invention, a
distance-measuring device includes an electronic calculator for
entering predetermined data in response to input pulses. A
pulse-supply switching circuit is connected in parallel with the
contacts of one of the keys of the electronic calculator to supply
input pulses to the calculator in response to units of distance
covered.
In a more specific embodiment, the electronic calculator comprises
a hand-held calculator with a keyboard having some data entry keys
and function keys which additionally includes a step-actuated
switch connected in parallel across the contacts of one of the
function keys to simulate operation of the key in response to
impact movement imparted to the switch, so that the calculator
enters data under control of the switch.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a partially cut-away perspective view of a preferred
embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a partially cut-away view of the reverse side of the
device shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a side view of the device shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a cut-away detail view of a portion of the device shown
in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3;
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines 5--5 of FIG.
4;
FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the switching circuitry of the
device shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3;
FIG. 7 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the device; and
FIG. 8 is a detailed schematic representation of the alternative
embodiment represented in FIG. 7.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
In the drawings, the same reference numbers are used throughout the
several figures to designate the same or similar components.
Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a conventional hand-held
electronic battery-operated calculator 10 which has been modified
to incorporate additional components to convert it to an electronic
pedometer. The calculator 10 includes the standard data entry keys
12 and function keys 14 along with a power "on-off" switch 15. All
of these components operate in a normal manner to permit use of the
calculator to perform arithmetic functions of addition,
subtraction, multiplication, division, etc. The calculator 10
preferably includes a memory function of the type commonly employed
in calculators currently available on the market.
The electronic circuitry of the calculator 10, its operation and
data display in a display area 19 all are conventional, so that no
description of the operation of that circuitry is considered
necessary here.
Operation of the calculator circuitry in response to the depression
of any of the data entry keys 12 or the function keys 14 is
controlled by the closure of corresponding switch contacts by the
keys whenever the keys 12 and 14 are depressed. The depression of a
key 12 or 14 completes an electrical circuit through the switch
contacts controlled by the key from a source of power to various
parts of the calculator electronic circuitry to effect the desired
operation.
As shown in FIG. 1, two of the function keys 14, namely the "add"
(+) and "subtract" (-) keys, have the contacts which are bridged by
operation of these keys connected in parallel to corresponding
pairs of terminals 16 and 17, respectively. These output terminals
are terminated in half of a male/female connector set passing
through the back 20 of the housing of the calculator 10. Mating
contacts of the connector sets coupled to the terminals 16 and 17
are connected to switching circuitry within a pedometer switch box
21 which is attached to the back 20 of the calculator 10 in any
suitable manner. Generally, the male/female contact connections
with the terminals 16 and 17 to similar mating contacts of the
connector sets passing through the box 21 are sufficient to
interconnect physically and electrically the box 21 and the
calculator 10. The calculator 10 is further modified by the
provision of a belt clip 23 to hold the calculator/pedometer
combination securely in an upright position to the body of the
person using it.
As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the pedometer box 21 has an "on-off"
switch 25 and a function selection switch 26 located in a position
for convenient access by the user or wearer of the device. The
pedometer box 21 has located within it a normally open,
impact-actuated switch comprising a first electronically conductive
leaf spring 28 with a small weight 29 on its free end for momentary
engagement, through a projection 36, with a mating electronically
conductive leaf spring switch contact 31. The leaf spring contact
28 is held out of engagement with the contact 31 by a movable
fulcrum member 33 which is horizontally adjustable (as shown in
FIG. 4) in a track parallel to the length of the leaf spring switch
member 28. The effective length of the spring 28 then may be varied
in accordance with the horizontal position of the fulcrum 33.
Additional adjustment of the spacing between the depending
projection 36 carried by the leaf spring 28 and the mating spring
contact 31 is effected by a thumbscrew 38 which is used to
vertically raise and lower the leaf spring 31 relative to the
projection 36. The adjustments of the thumbscrew 38 and the
location of the fulcrum 33 are effected to control the impact force
necessary to complete an electrical circuit between the projection
36 and the member 31.
As stated previously, this switch is normally open, but when the
pedometer is worn on the belt of a user, each step taken by the
user causes the weight 29 to be jarred downwardly to move the
projection 36 into electrical contact with the projection 31. When
this occurs, an electrical circuit is completed through the on-off
switch 25, provided it is in its "on" position, completing the
circuit to the appropriate contact terminals 16 or 17 in the
calculator. Since different persons with different strides or the
same person at different times will cause a different downward
force to be applied to the weight 29, the members 30 and 38 are
adjusted to provide a sure closing of the switch contacts 36 and 31
for each step taken while at the same time preventing multiple
closures of the contacts 36 and 31 due to bouncing and the like
between steps. Although the member 33 and member 38 both are shown
for effecting this adjustment, it may be possible to eliminate one
or both of these members for some applications of the device.
FIG. 6 shows the electrical interconnections of the switches 25 and
26 for selecting which set of terminals 16 or 17 the closure of the
switch contacts 36 and 31 is to bridge in the calculator 10 in
response to use of the pedometer device. If the "on-off" switch 25
is opened ("off"), the pedometer device has no effect whatsoever on
the operation of the calculator 10. The calculator 10 then may be
used in a conventional manner; and even when it is worn on the belt
of the user, operation of the switch contacts 31 and 36 has no
effect due to the open circuit provided by the switch 25. If the
switch 25, however, is closed ("on") to bridge the contacts shown
in FIG. 6, the pedometer portion of the circuit is effective to
control operation of the calculator 10.
Ideally, the pulses produced by the momentary closure of the
contacts 36 and 31 for each step taken by the wearer of the
electronic pedometer will either add a unit representative of that
step or subtract a unit representative of that step from some
preset number indicative of the distance to be traveled. That is
the reason the switch 26 is capable of selecting either the "add"
(+) or the "subtract" (-) function key 14. In the position shown in
FIG. 6, the operation of the switch contacts 31 and 36 supplies
pulses simulating the operation of the "add" function key 14. In
the other position of the switch 26 (movement to the left as shown
in FIG. 6), the operation of the switch contacts 36 and 31
simulates the operation of the "subtract" function key 14.
In operation of the electronic pedometer, the user initially must
walk a measured distance in normal walking steps. For example,
assume that a man walks exactly 100 yards in 105 steps. He then
uses the calculator 10 to divide 100 yards by the number of steps
required to cover the distance, in this case 105, and he writes the
results of this division (0.95 to two decimal point accuracy) on an
erasable chart 40 on the back of the calculator opposite the word
"walk." A similar calculation may be made, if desired, for the
number of steps taken to run the same distance and to jog the same
distance. Once the calculated entries have been made on the chart
40 opposite the appropriate designations "walk," "run" and "jog,"
the user then only needs to refer to this chart and enter the
appropriate data suitable to the particular activity for which he
wishes to measure the distance covered.
For example, assume that the calculation has been made as described
above that each step made by the wearer of the electronic pedometer
when he is walking covers 0.95 yards. If a distance walked then is
to be measured, the user of the calculator programs the calculator
by entering the data corresponding to each step, namely 0.95, on
the data entry keys 12 in a conventional manner. The switch 26 then
is set to the "add" (+) or "subtract" (-) position. For the purpose
of this example, assume that it is set to the "add" position as
shown in solid lines in FIG. 6 to select the terminals 16
paralleling the contacts of the "add" function switch 14 of the
calculator. Once the pedometer "on-off" switch 25 is placed in the
"on" position, each subsequent step then taken by the wearer of the
electronic pedometer causes a momentary closure of the contacts 36
and 31. This completes a circuit across the contacts of the "add"
function switch 14 to add the number previously selected by
operation of the data entry keys 12 each time the switch contacts
36 and 31 close. Thus, each step causes 0.95 to be added to the
running total displayed in the display 19 of the pedometer so long
as it is in use. The display 19 may be observed when desired by the
wearer of the pedometer who then can determine precisely how far he
has gone.
Similarly, if the total distance from a starting point to a
finishing point is known, this distance first may be entered by
operation of the appropriate data entry keys 12 into the calculator
10 for display on the display 19. Then the number for the distance
covered by each step (0.95) is entered as described above. The
switch 26 is moved to its "subtract" position (to the left as shown
in FIG. 6) to select the terminals 17 for control by the switch
contacts 36 and 31. Operation of the device is the same as
described previously; but in this case, 0.95 is subtracted from the
running total for each step taken by the wearer. The indication in
the display 19 then is indicative of the number of yards remaining
to the finishing point.
An alternative to the foregoing is to merely use the electronic
pedometer to count the number of steps taken by the user. In this
case, the data entry key for the number "1" is initially selected,
so that each step taken by the user then adds "1" or subtracts "1"
as the user walks along. If the pedometer is operated in this
fashion, it then is necessary to multiply this total by the
appropriate constant representative of the length of a stride to
obtain the distance traveled or to obtain the number which is to be
subtracted from a preset total. Since this latter operation
involves additional steps of computation by the user, it is
considered less desirable than the previously described operation
which directly enters and adds or subtracts the precise amount of
distance covered by each step of the user.
Although the foregoing description has been directed to calculation
of distance covered in terms of yards, it is readily apparent that
comparable measurements in terms of feet or other units may also be
effected. If another person, with a different stride, wishes to use
the electronic pedometer, it is necessary for him to first
determine the appropriate constant corresponding to the length of
his stride in the same manner as described previously. This
constant then may be entered on the data entry keys 12; and the
operation of the pedometer is the same, except that a different
number (for example, perhaps 0.89) is added or subtracted as the
constant representative of the stride of this different person
using the device. The manner in which the appropriate constant for
a user is initially determined is relatively simple and does not
require much time to perform. The accuracy with which the device
records distances is considerably greater than that which is
attainable by the rough adjustments possible with mechanical
pedometer devices currently available. In addition, the calculator
10 may be used in the conventional manner at any time the user
wishes.
FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate alternative embodiments in which the
calculator 10, modified as shown in FIGS. 1 through 6, may be used
to measure distances covered by a golf cart or other vehicle. In
this case, the switch contacts 36 and 31 are replaced with a
normally open switch 50 (FIG. 8) which is closed in response to
operation of a cam follower 51 under the control of a cam 55
located on a rotating shaft 57 connected to the wheel, for example,
of the golf cart or other vehicle. The terminals of the switch 50
then are connected to terminals of a corresponding switch 126
(similar to the switch 26) which is used to select the "add" or
"subtract" function key 14. In all other respects, the entry of
appropriate data into the calculator 10, including the constant
representative of distance traveled between each closure of the
switch 50 is the same as described for the pedometer version of
FIGS. 1 through 6.
The electronic distance-measuring device described above and shown
in the drawings is a convenient adaptation of a conventional
electronic calculator which may be effected easily at minimum cost.
It is a very accurate distance-measuring device compared with other
presently available devices for accomplishing similar purposes and
expands the use of the calculator 10 into an entirely new area of
practical applications.
* * * * *